As wireless networks evolve, the demand for high-quality service to a growing number of wireless devices or users increases. Carrier aggregation and antenna diversity communication configurations that have been developed to meet this demand.
Carrier aggregation is a communication configuration wherein one or more antennas of an access node are configured to increase bandwidth and bitrate by transmitting data over a plurality of component carriers, channels, or frequency bands simultaneously. While carrier aggregation increases bandwidth and bitrate to certain wireless device, it may take away resources from others. As the number of wireless devices under carrier aggregation increases, and as the wireless devices approach the cell edge, block error rates (BLER) and retransmission rates may increase. This increase in BLER and retransmission rates may impact battery consumption for the wireless devices, as well as impact overall load on the access node.
Antenna diversity is another configuration that has been developed to help meet the demand for high-quality service to wireless devices. Antenna diversity is a method for increasing the quality and reliability of a communication link using multiple transmitting and receiving antennas by mitigating destructive interference or fading. The method includes sending more than one data signal simultaneously using the same resource from multiple antennas of an access node. Antenna diversity increases the reliability of signal transmission to wireless device, especially devices at a cell edge. However, Antenna diversity may also impact overall load on the access node.